Math stations or centers are an important component of Math Workshop. My students rotate through four centers each day: Math Facts & More, At Your Pace (independent work), Teacher's Choice, and Hands-on. The Hand's On station is my digital station. Digital centers are perfect for the classroom, but it can hard to decide what tools to use because there are so many different options.

Before we talk about specific digital centers I want to talk about Google Classroom. Google Classroom has been a gamechanger in my classroom. It allows me to quickly and easily organize and pass out digital assignments. If you would like to read more about setting up Google Classroom click here.

Here are five of my favorite digital center options:

This site is great for math fact fluency practice. Many upper elementary students need to work on fluency to help with multi-step or multi-digit problems.

This website requires a membership, but it has a lot to offer. iXL has both a diagnostic tool and an unlimited number of questions for each math domain. I love using it to target specific math skills.

Prodigy is a free online adaptive math game that integrates math skills into a wizard-themed role-playing game. Students are placed at a math level after completing a preliminary tutorial. Then, students work through math problems that increase or decrease in difficulty level based on how the questions are answered.

There are many interactive resources available that work with Google Classroom and Google apps.

Resources that are engaging for students and include assessment are my favorite.

Where should I send your Decimal Division Boom Deck?

Parent conferences can be stressful for teachers, parents, and students. The purpose of a conference is to discuss student learning, but planning and organizing conferences can be time-consuming. What if I told you that I found a system that works?

I realized that students should take part in the conference. So, I changed the way I conducted conferences. Now, my students attend the fall conference, share and reflect on a few pieces of work, and set goals with parent and teacher input. Our spring conferences are completely led by students. Each student shares his/her portfolio of work with parents and/or guardians. It is the BEST!

Planning

I start getting ready for conferences in September. Each student brings in a folder to hold portfolio work. The folder is used to keep work that will be included in the end of year portfolio. I also begin having students reflect on work as soon as the school year starts. This is helpful because I want them to reflect on the work as it is happening rather than trying to remember the circumstances many months later.

The fall conference is scheduled in the middle of our first trimester. About a week before the fall conference each student picks two pieces of work to share and completes reflection sheets if they haven't been completed already. The reflection sheets require students to think critically about the piece of work. I encourage my students to choose work they are proud of and work that they wish they could do over and improve. I pair students up to practice sharing work. The goal is for the student to talk about the work without having to read the reflection word for word. Practice makes all the difference!

Students also reflect on the start of the school year. They write about things that are going well and highlight something that makes them feel proud. Students also write about any challenges they have faced and list some goals that they would like to meet.

This becomes one piece that each student will share during the conference. You can grab a copy of the reflection sheet below.

Fall Conference
Each conference begins the same way. I address parental questions and/or concerns from the pre-conference questionnaire. Next, the student will share his/her work and the self-reflection. Then, I give an overview of student progress and address any concerns. The last part of the conference is a goal-setting conversation. The parents, student, and I review goals set at the beginning of the year and look at the list of new goals that the student wrote. We decide whether to keep current goals in place or set new goals for the remainder of the term. I fill in the goal information on a conference form and either print or email a copy to the parents.

Each conference last about 20 minutes, but could be longer if time allowed. Parent feedback is always positive and they love listening to their child share work.

Spring Conference

Students collect and reflect on work throughout the remainder of the year. I also take a lot of pictures in the classroom, at special classes (art, music, technology, physical education, etc.), field trips, and recess. Students love to include photos in their portfolios.

The spring conference is very different from the fall conference. Each student prepares his/her portfolio to be shared. They practice with peers to make sure that they know what they are going to say.

There are many ways to organize the spring conference, but I sign up to use our school cafeteria for the last hour of the day. Then we send out an invitation to families. It isn't as confusing as what you are probably picturing in your mind. Here's how it works:

Two students sit at each of the cafeteria tables. If your cafeteria is bigger than mine you might be able to do one student per table.

I place a list of steps for the conference on the table to help each student remember what to do. I also purchase small bottles of water and set them on an empty table in case any of the participants get thirsty.

Family members join their children at each table.

Each student presents his/her portfolio to their family at the same time. The tables are big enough that having two presentations at the same time is not a problem.

I float around the cafeteria taking pictures and observing the process. If a student raises his/her hand I will head to the table to answer a question or concern. This does not happen often.

When I first started this process each student had a three-ring binder. We placed work samples and reflections in sheet protectors and placed them in the binders. This worked out well, but now that I have embraced Google Classroom and digital learning my students keep digital portfolios.

How do you structure your parent conferences? I would love to hear about it! Don't forget to grab your student reflection forms!

Grab your student reflection forms!

Volume can be a difficult concept for students. Fifth-grade students are expected to understand the concept of volume, calculate volume by counting cubes and by using a formula, and understand that volume is additive. Here are my tried and true tips for teaching volume.

1. Review Area Concepts

Before tackling volume it is important to make sure that students understand the concept of area. Students that are clear on what area is and how to calculate it will have a much easier time understanding volume. I review the concept of area, the area formula (A = l x w), and why we use square units when talking about area.

2. Define Volume

Many students come to math class without knowing the mathematical definition of volume. So, I begin by explaining volume. Volume can be defined as the amount of space a three-dimensional object takes up or volume is the measure of how much space a solid object takes up. My students record the definition of volume in their math notebooks. Additional information is added throughout the unit. I have also used a digital version of the notebook. You can check that out here.

Spend time looking at two dimensional and three dimensional objects. This will help students to see the difference between them.

3. Hands-On Practice with Non-Standard Units

I begin my volume unit by investigating rectangular prisms. I collect a variety of small boxes for students to explore. Empty tea boxes, paper clip boxes, and granola bar boxes work the best for me. I place 2 or 3 different boxes, a set of pattern blocks, and a container of marbles at one of my math stations. Students investigate how many of each unit it takes to fill the boxes.

We discuss the observations that were made while filling the containers. Students will discover that the pattern block shapes and marbles did not fill the boxes as they expected and that gaps and overlaps were noticed. You can find a copy of the worksheet here.

Next, students are asked to fill the same boxes with cubes. I use centimeter cubes and Unifix cubes for this activity. Unifix cubes are great for boxes that are bigger in size. Once students have filled the boxes with cubes we discuss their observations. This leads to a discussion on cubic units.

4. Model

My classroom floor is made up of square tiles. I explain that we can find the area of the classroom floor by counting the square foot tiles. Then, I explain that we could find the volume of the classroom by using cubic feet. I use rulers to help students understand what a cubic foot looks like. I place one ruler along the length of a tile, one along the width of a tile, and use a third ruler to show the height. Then I add construction paper to make a cubic foot. This really helps my students to see what it means to measure with a cubic unit.

Next, model how to find the volume of a rectangular prism by filling and counting cubes. Nets are perfect for this. Students fill the nets with cubes and count the total to find the volume.

This leads to a discussion of using multiplication to calculate the volume of objects. From this discussion, the formulas for volume can be introduced. I teach my students two different formulas:

V = length x width x height or V = l x w x h

and

V = area of the base x the height or V = B x h (B = l x w)

5. Practice, Practice, Practice

The best way for students to master the concept of volume is to practice. Begin by practicing with cubes and then have students shift to using formulas to calculate volume. This can be done digitally or by using paper-based practice sheets. Would you like to try a digital resource to practice volume? Click here. You can check out my favorite resources to practice volume here.

Are you using Google Classroom? I started using it a few years ago and I LOVE it! Fun fact: You

don’t need to be a 1:1 school to use it! I have access to a shared Chromebook cart and use Google

Classroom every day. I have embraced the power of digital learning in my classroom and you can, too.

The Basics

Google Classroom is a free web service for schools, non-profits, or anyone with a personal Google

Account. It helps educators to connect with students and can be used to encourage collaboration

between students, collaboration between teachers, and to streamline and manage assignments.

Google Classroom can also help teachers move towards a paperless environment.

Many school district’s use a G Suite for Education account. Teachers and students log in with an email address specific to the school. The school’s admin team or technology coordinator usually distributes the information needed. Very often the email addresses are not actual email addresses. Districts can choose whether or not to allow students to access the email features. You can use Google Classroom with a personal Google account, too. Make sure you check in with your district before getting started. You can find out more about G Suite for Education with a simple Google search.

Make it easy on yourself and develop a system for keeping track of the passwords. My students fill out a

password card and glue it into their student planners. I also keep a file on my computer for when a

student forgets his/her password. If you are interested in a set of the password cards click here.

Benefits

Google Classroom is super easy to implement. Sign up, create a class, add students, and go! Teachers can share information, announcements, assignments, and questions quickly and easily. Google Classroom's recent update is a game changer for organization. All students see the same information and it is centrally located. Students can see what tasks and assignments need to be completed and when they are due.

Getting StartedAre you ready? Woo hoo! Let’s get started. Head to classroom.google.com and sign in. It will look like this (without the classes you see) when you log in.

You can set up one class or multiple classes. I am a 5th grade teacher and teach all subject areas. I have a class for each subject area. To get started click on the plus sign and select Create a Class. Check out this video for step by step instructions on how to set up a class within Google Classroom. This video has been updated to show the recent changes

Would you like to receive some tips & tricks?

Sign up for our email newsletter to receive tips, tricks, ideas, and information on special sales. We'd love to have you!

Getting ready for back to school also means getting ready for Back to School Night aka Open House. Back to School Night at my school is for parents only. It is meant to be a time for teachers to introduce themselves, the classroom expectations, and an overview of the upcoming year. Planning a successful Back to School Night can be stressful, so I am excited to share a few of my favorite tips.

1. Letter Home

Send a letter home to parents and/or guardians with the date and time of the Back to School Night. Actually, send home a letter, an email reminder, and post it on your website. Making sure families know the date and time is one of the hardest parts of the whole thing. It may seem like a simple thing, but let's face it, people are busy. Thoughtful reminders can help out even the most organized family.

2. Sign In Spot

Create a sign-in spot in your classroom. I place a small table by the door in my classroom. I put a container of pens and pencils, copies of handouts, and important forms on the table. As parents enter the room they grab a pen, the handouts, and forms and find a seat. (I use flexible seating, so the students do not have a specific spot.) Parents fill out the forms as everyone is getting settled. The sign-in sheet allows me to make sure that the families that were unable to attend receive the handouts.

3. Video Presentation

This tip has been a lifesaver! Create your presentation and then make a video to share with parents that couldn't attend. They will get to hear and see the information you presented. Now, I know what you are thinking, you don't want to video yourself in front of the room talking. Me neither! There's an easier way. I create my presentation and then import it into Google Slides. I use the Screencastify extension in Google Chrome to record my voice going through the presentation. I do this before the actual event. I treat it like a practice run of the actual night. Then, I link the video to my website for the parents to view. You can check out my editable presentation here.

4. Contact Information

Let your parents know how to contact you. I include this information in my presentation, but also make magnets with the information to give to families.

Designate an area to place a list of things that you would love to have donated to the classroom. There are lots of creative ways to do this. Here are a few ideas:

Fishing for Donations - Use fish shaped cut outs and write one item per fish. Place in a cute fishbowl or glass container.

Helping Hands - Use hand shapes and write one item per hand.

Classroom Lifesavers - Make colorful lifesaver shapes and write one item per shape.

6. Parent Messages

Ask parents and/or guardians to leave a message for students before leaving. They can write about something they liked in the classroom or write a positive message. I place sticky notes and markers near my chart paper stand. Parents write a message and stick it to the chart paper. Remember to write notes to students that didn't have a parent present. My students LOVE reading these messages.

Back to School Night doesn't have to be stressful. I hope you found a tip or two to try out this year. Here's to a fabulous new school year!

Most people love when the end of April rolls around. Warmer weather (especially if you live in New England), longer days, and the thought that the summer months are almost here. I am here to tell you that this is NOT what teachers think about at the end of April.

Some teacher friends have expressed frustration that they are unable to use Google Classroom because they are not in a 1:1 situation. Plot twist! You CAN use Google Classroom with one student or a group or students. The first step is to set it up so that your students have access. (You can read more about setting up classes here.) Then, the possibilities are endless. Here are some of my FAVORITE ways to use Google with small groups:

Morning Work

Many teachers start the day off with some type of morning work or bell ringer assignment. One way to approach this is to assign your students to a group and have a list of morning week with the week. Assign different tasks each day for each group. Have one assignment be a digital assignment in Google Classroom. Each group of students would complete it on a different day, but it would all be finished by the end of the week.

Math Stations

Math stations are organized for small groups of students to complete and then move on to another station after a set amount of time. So, Google Classroom assignments are perfect for math stations! You can assign a digital activity to be completed at one of your math centers. Each group will rotate through. You can easily differentiate activities and track the completion of assignments, too! Check out some of my digital math resources here.

Centers

I am using "centers" as a catch all term for things like centers, daily 5 activities, or any other type of small group work that is done in a subject area. If you have a few Chromebooks, iPads, or computers you can assign a digital activity for students to complete. Writing prompts, digital task cards, or a link to a video to watch are a few possible digital center examples.

Fast Finishers

We all have at least one! Set your fast finishers up with a digital assignment to complete. If time runs out before he/she can finish the assignment it's not a big deal because it will be waiting the next time the student logs in.

Flipped Lessons

One way to utilize a few devices in the classroom is to create flipped lessons. This is a great way to meet the needs of all students. If students need to review a lesson or hear it again they can listen to a listen and complete an assignment. A more traditional style of flipped lessons could be done, too. Students could watch a lesson at home on Google Classroom and do the assignments in school.

RTI/Intervention Groups

Google Classroom is great for intervention groups! Having an assignment for an intervention group to complete would allow the interventionist to work more closely with individual students in the group. Google Forms and Boom Cards are two digital resources that offer data collection. Data collection is a key component for intervention groups.

Homework

Homework assignments can go digital. Google Classroom can be accessed on smartphones, tablets, computers, iPads, and Chromebooks. Many students could complete homework assignments digitally. Boom Cards are one of my favorite things to assign for homework. Click here to see my Boom Card resources or click here to try a 5th grade fraction set for free.

Google Classroom has helped me in many ways and my classroom is not 1:1. Have you used Google Classroom with groups of students? Comment below and tell me about your favorite way to use it.

March is the month that makes many teachers feel queasy because winter break has happened already and spring break seems so far away. Here are a few of my favorite activities to make the long month of March fly by!

Do you use task cards in your classroom? If you answered YES, then you should give Boom Learning™ a try because it is basically a task card's trendier cousin aka a digital task card. Boom decks can be used on interactive whiteboards, computers, and tablets that have modern browsers (released within the last three years).

There are many things to like about Boom Cards™, but here are some reasons why I LOVE them: